Multi-linkage and multi-tree structure system and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A multi-linkage and multi-tree structure system includes: a base body including a sensor for detecting movement of the base body; at least one link body which is connected to the base body via at least one first joint and moves relative to the base body with respect to at least one axis, wherein movement of the at least one link body is independently controlled based on the movement of the base body detected by the sensor, and wherein each of the at least one link body comprises one or more links that are connected to one another via at least one second joint, and at least one link in each of the at least one link body is controlled by the controller to orient toward a set direction with respect to the movement of the base body.

1 . A multi-linkage and multi-tree structure system, the system comprising:
 a base body comprising a sensor for detecting movement of the base body; and   at least one link body which is connected to the base body via at least one first joint and moves relative to the base body with respect to at least one axis,   wherein movement of the at least one link body is independently controlled based on the movement of the base body detected by the sensor, and   wherein each of the at least one link body comprises one or more links that are connected to one another via at least one second joint, and at least one link in each of the at least one link body is controlled to orient toward a set direction with respect to the movement of the base body.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one link, which is controlled to orient toward the set direction with respect to the movement of the base body, is at least one last link included in the at least one link body, respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the movement of the base body detected by the sensor is transformed into movement of the at least one last link by reflecting movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a gyro sensor for measuring an angular velocity of the base body with respect to at least one axis, an inclinometer sensor for measuring a rotating angle with respect to the at least one axis, and a rotation detector. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein coordinate values of at least one last link respectively included in the at least one link body with respect to an absolute coordinate system are obtained by using a value measured by the inclinometer sensor and movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint, to compensate for an error caused by the gyro sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an angular velocity calculator for calculating angular velocities of at least one third joint connecting the base body and a fixed body on which the base body is fixed, the at least one first joint and at least one second joint by using the movement of the base body and movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint;   a controller for receiving differences between reference angular velocities and the calculated angular velocities to calculate controlling amounts; and   a driver for driving the at least one first joint, the at least one second joint and the at least one third joint, according to the controlling amounts.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first joint, the at least one second joint and the at least one third joint are driven so that variation rates of the calculated angular velocities form a trapezoidal shape with respect to time. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the movement of the base body and the movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint are measured by respective angles of rotation, and
 wherein the angular velocity calculator calculates the angular velocities of the at least one first joint, the at least one second joint and the at least one third joint by further using angular velocities of the base body calculated by the sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the base body is mounted on a vehicle, a weapon module is mounted on one of the at least one link body, and a camera module is mounted on another one of the at least one link body. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one link body comprises two or more link bodies,
 wherein the at least one link, which is controlled to orient toward the set direction with respect to the movement of the base body, is at least one of last links respectively included in the two or more link bodies, and   wherein the movement of the base body detected by the sensor is transformed into movements of the last links included in the two or more link bodies by reflecting movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint.   
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling a multi-linkage and multi-tree structure system, in which at least one link body is connected to a base body via at least one first joint, wherein the at least one link body is capable of moving relative to the base body, and the base body comprises a sensor for detecting movement of the base body, the method comprising:
 controlling movement of the at least one link body independently based on the movement of the base body detected by the sensor,   wherein each of the at least one link body comprises one or more links that are connected to one another via at least one second joint, and at least one link in each of the at least one link body is controlled to orient toward a set direction with respect to the movement of the base body.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one link, which is controlled to orient toward the set direction with respect to the movement of the base body, is at least one last link respectively included in the at least one link body. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the movement of the base body detected by the sensor is transformed into movement of the at least one last link by reflecting movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 calculating angular velocities of at least one third joint connecting the base body and a fixed body on which the base body is fixed, the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint by using the movement of the base body and movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint;   receiving differences between reference angular velocities and the calculated angular velocities and calculating controlling amounts; and   driving the at least one first joint, the at least one second joint and the at least one third joint, according to the controlling amounts.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the movement of the base body and the movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint are measured by respective angles of rotation, and
 wherein the angular velocities of the at least one first joint, the at least one second joint and the at least one third joint are calculated by further using angular velocities of the base body calculated by the sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein coordinate values of at least one last link included in the at least one link body, respectively, with respect to an absolute coordinate system are obtained by using a value measured by an inclinometer sensor installed in the base body and movements of the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint, to compensate for an error caused by a gyro sensor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 calculating a rotating angle of a first body, among the at least one link body comprising the first body and a second body, in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction to change a current orientation of the first body to a target orientation;   generating a driving trajectory of the first body; and   driving the first body according to the driving trajectory.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising controlling the first body and a second body of the at least one link body to face the same orientation in the vertical and horizontal directions. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 generating the driving trajectory such that variation rates of angular velocities of at least one third joint connecting the base body and a fixed body on which the base body is fixed, the at least one first joint and the at least one second joint form a trapezoidal shape with respect to time; and   generating feedback input values of the angular velocities so that the first body faces the target orientation.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 calculating a current orientation of the first body;   calculating a target orientation of the first body;   driving the first body along with a trapezoidal trajectory; and   compensating for a difference between the current orientation and the target orientation by feedback controlling.   
     
     
         21 . A multi-linkage apparatus comprising:
 a base body movably connected to a moving vehicle, the base body comprising a sensor for detecting movement of the base body with respect to the moving vehicle;   at least one link body which is connected to the base body via at least one first joint; and   a controller which controls the at least one link body to move relative to the base body, and controls at least one link included in the at least one link body to orient toward a predetermined direction regardless of orientation of the base body, based on the movement of the base body detected by the sensor.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one link body comprises two or more link bodies, and
 wherein the controller controls one link included in each of the two or more link bodies to orient toward the predetermined direction regardless of orientation of the base body, based on the movement of the base body detected by the sensor.